Callaway gets versatile with new CB wedges

This year, Callaway Golf introduced consumers to its new lineup of Jaws Raw wedges. The response and reviews have been nothing short of five-star and appear to be a mainstay for one of the most popular OEMs in the business. But as great as the Jaws Raw model is (be sure to check out my review), Callaway fans that need a little extra help in their wedge games might have been feeling a bit left out. Fear not, my mid to high-handicap friends, as Callaway has released its line of wedges built for the weekend warrior with the new CB designs.

First and foremost, as a fellow amateur golfer, I was mightily impressed by the Jaws Raw and feel that those models cater to a broad spectrum of players. This new CB lineup, however, is next level when it comes to forgiveness. If that seems like a yucky word to you when it comes to wedges, we can’t blame you. Forgiving wedges might have you thinking back to the days of super-chunky soles and designs that reflect shovels more so than golf clubs. Not to worry because while the Callaway CB is a little friendlier in size, it doesn’t skip a beat when it comes to spin and feel.

“We brought in a lot of the pieces that were successful with the Mack Daddy CB,” said Patrick Dawson, Senior R&D Manager at Callaway. “We did some tweaks to the sole based on what we heard from the marketplace to try and appeal to the core player.”

With a cavity back design and a pre-worn leading edge, these wedges have the aesthetics of a typical wedge design. Once you line the club up behind the ball though you’ll notice that the head is slightly larger than say the Jaws Raw. For many players, this will strike a chord of confidence, especially if you’re trying to escape bunkers. At impact, I loved the feel of a little extra bounce as I’m a midwesterner and require that of any wedge that I game. Pairing that bounce with the leading edge, which acts like a skid plate to avoid digging, made for a solid feel that made me buy in.

Ever heard of Urethane Microspheres? If your answer is, ”Nope,” join the club. What I learned though is these are placed behind the clubface which is why this game improvement wedge feels as buttery as something intended for the pros. That feeling, in my experience, applied to full shots into the green as well as touch shots where I needed to get up and down.

Callaway CB Wedge with Full Face Grooves

While the Callaway CB might be a sibling of the Jaws, it shares the same grooves. The surface is a lot rougher than most wedges thanks to a face blast during production. The grooves also extend across the entire face, so your mishits aren’t punished nearly as much. With lofts available in 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 degrees, the full-face grooves are available from 54 degrees on up.

Callaway even managed to address the grip in this new design. The stock grip from Golf Pride is slightly longer than a traditional grip. Why? For those of us that like to choke down a bit on those touchy scoring shots. The stock shafts available are also very player friendly. For steel you have the True Temper Elevate 95 and for graphite, there’s the choice of the Project X Catalyst or the UST F1 in a WMS flex.

For more information on the brand new Callaway CB wedges, or to find out how to get custom fitted, visit CallawayGolf.com.